Continuous Improvement Engineer

KCC Manufacturing•Louisville, KY

About The Position

Continuous Improvement Engineer KCC Companies is an employee-owned (ESOP) company dedicated to providing complete design, manufacturing, installation, and service for commercial & residential Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC). Our Mission: KCC enhances the lives of our customers, partners, employee-owners, and communities by providing innovative HVAC solutions. Summary: The Continuous Improvement Engineer is responsible for driving operational excellence by identifying, analyzing, and implementing process improvements across the organization. This role focuses on enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and improving quality through Lean, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies. The Continuous Improvement Engineer will work closely with various team members across multiple functions of the business, actively supporting and leading improvement efforts, and playing a key role in building a culture of continuous improvement within KCC. This is a dynamic, hands-on role and involves elements of education, situational analysis, problem solving, solution development, and project management.

Requirements

Proficiency in Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills for leading workshops and team meetings.
Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize tasks effectively.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Visio, and PowerPoint).
Functional knowledge of statistical principles, calculations, and analysis.
Strong sense of accountability for project deadlines and deliverables.
Strong ability to think holistically and take a systematic approach.
Strong interpersonal skills to influence and effectively communicate with team members at all levels.
Must be self-motivated and goal-oriented, with a strong personal drive for success.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with multiple RCA tools and demonstrated ability to lead groups to root cause and problem validation.
Successful candidates will have a high-performance track record of leading teams to meeting or exceeding performance targets and / or project goals.
3+ years of experience in continuous improvement or process engineering, or industrial engineering roles preferred.
Ability to lift 50 lbs.
Must be able to work on ladders or step stools
Requires bending, stooping and standing.
Must be able to stand from six (6) to eight (8) hours per day.  (Overtime may extend time period.)
Good visual and spatial perception
Follow established safety policies including, but not limited to, mobile equipment, PPE, emergency response, HAZCOM, first-aid response, etc.

Nice To Haves

Lean, Six Sigma Green Belt certification (Black Belt preferred) is a strong plus.
Experience in manufacturing or production environments strongly preferred.
Hands with quality management systems (QMS) and ISO standards is a plus.
Project Management experience is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Lead and facilitate continuous improvement projects using Lean and Six Sigma principles.
Actively seek out situations for applying lean methodologies across all departments.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive process optimization and cost reduction initiatives.
Review CI submissions by interviewing team members and analyzing the current state to establish a baseline understanding of proposed solutions.
Conduct cost/benefit analysis of opportunities and communicate the business case (ROI) with stakeholders.
Evaluate and prioritize opportunities based on potential gains versus effort required.
Facilitate project feasibility sessions with stakeholders when necessary.
Work with stakeholders to determine the scope; identify and prioritize deliverables and metrics.
Identify the appropriate methods, resources, participants, and training required for upcoming activities.
Analyze current processes to identify inefficiencies and recommend solutions.
Conduct value stream mapping activities to help others see the big picture and spot waste.
Develop and implement standard work procedures and best practices.
Support/lead root cause analysis efforts to objectively identify concrete opportunities for improvement, and to ensure problem solving alignment.
Help team members identify and conduct go-do-it improvements with immediate personal ROI.
Plan, implement, and follow-up on actions to ensure 100% resolution.
Monitor and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure improvement impact.
Provide training and coaching on continuous improvement tools and techniques to employees.
Work with the Learning & Development team to create and deliver educational courses.
Support other teams pursuing continuous improvement activities.